Key Terms Definitions
Biology Knowledge Organiser
B9 - Respiration Aerobic Using oxygen
Anaerobic Not using oxygen
Respiration. A reaction with oxygen. In this case, food molecules like
Oxidation
glucose reacting with oxygen.
Photosynthesis produces chemicals (like glucose) that can be used as food by all living
organisms. In respiration, the chemical potential energy stored in food molecules is transferred Tiredness. Fatigue in muscles is caused by a build-up of
through oxidation reactions (where oxygen, originally from the air, reacts with the food Fatigue lactic acid, which is produced during anaerobic respiration
molecules). The energy transferred allows living cells to do work. (when there is insufficient oxygen).
After exercise, the lactic acid has built up and caused an
As you know, doing work means transferring energy. The kinds of work done by cells Oxygen debt
extra need for oxygen – called the oxygen debt.
and organisms include:
• Chemical reactions to build larger molecules from smaller ones. E.g. making proteins such Chemical produced by the incomplete oxidation of glucose
as enzymes from amino acids. Lactic acid
(anaerobic respiration).
• Movement. E.g. movements of our body are possible due to muscle contractions.
This requires energy from respiration.
• Keeping warm. This is an example of homeostasis: using energy from respiration to maintain The Response To Exercise.
body temperature at a set point (37oC).
During exercise, more energy is required by the body that when resting, due to
There are two types of respiration: aerobic and anaerobic. increased muscle contractions. The body reacts to this increased demand for
energy:
The heart rate, breathing rate, and volume of each breath all increase.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration. Together, these increase the amount of oxygenated blood reaching the
Aerobic respiration occurs when oxygen is used in the reaction. It is shown by these equations: muscles. The oxygenated blood provides the extra oxygen and glucose
needed for respiration in muscle cells, to transfer more energy to meet
glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide + water demand.
C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O
However, if insufficient oxygen reaches muscles but exercise continues, the
This reaction releases energy that can be used by organisms, as described above. Compared to muscle cells use anaerobic respiration to transfer energy. From the equation,
anaerobic respiration, aerobic respiration releases much more energy. you can see that incomplete oxidation of glucose takes place and lactic acid is
produced. The lactic acid builds up and causes an oxygen debt. The lactic acid
Anaerobic respiration occurs when there is insufficient oxygen available for complete oxidation building up also causes fatigue. Removing the lactic acid after exercise is the
of the glucose. The reaction that happens is different in animal cells compared to plant and yeast
cells. cause of the oxygen debt – the oxygen debt is why you breathe deeply after
exercise for some time. You are ‘repaying’ the oxygen debt.
In animals: glucose lactic acid
In plants and yeast: glucose ethanol and carbon dioxide HT: oxygen debt, to be precise, is the amount of extra oxygen needed to react
C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 with lactic acid in muscles and remove it from cells. The blood flow through
muscles removes lactic acid and transports it to the liver. In the liver, the lactic
Anaerobic respiration releases much less energy than aerobic respiration. In yeast, we call the acid is converted back into glucose. This reaction requires energy, hence the
anaerobic respiration fermentation. This is a very useful process: for making bread (the CO2 extra need for oxygen (for aerobic respiration to provide that energy).
makes it rise) and making alcoholic drinks (since ethanol is a type of alcohol).
Key Terms Definitions
Biology Knowledge Organiser
B9 - Respiration Metabolism
The sum of all the chemical reactions in a cell or in the body
of an organism.
Metabolism. Enzyme
Large protein molecule that acts as a biological catalyst,
dramatically speeding up chemical reactions in organisms.
Metabolism is a very big term in biology. It is the name given to collectively describe ALL the Synthesis Making something new. E.g. new molecules in metabolism.
chemical reactions happening in a cell or in the whole body. So, respiration in all cells is an
example of metabolism, and so is photosynthesis in plants. The part of an enzyme molecule into which the substrate
Active site
fits – so the shape of the active site is vital.
Many reactions that cells perform require energy, so metabolism relies on energy transferred by
respiration. Furthermore, chemical reactions in cells are controlled by enzymes. As we’re talking The molecule an enzyme ‘works on’ to make a
Substrate
about chemical reactions, reactants are used to make products: new molecules are synthesised. product/products.
The ideal or perfect condition . Enzymes have an optimum
To learn: metabolism includes these reactions: Optimum
temperature and an optimum pH.
Conversion of glucose to glycogen (in animals), or to starch or
cellulose (in plants).
Making lipid (fat) molecules from one molecule of glycerol and
three molecules of fatty acids (see diagram).
In plants, the use of glucose and nitrate ions to make amino acids.
These amino acids are then used to synthesise proteins.
Respiration, both aerobic and anaerobic.
Breaking down excess proteins into amino acids, then into urea for excretion in the urine.
Temperature too high or
pH too alkaline/too
Factors Affecting Enzymes.
acidic, so enzyme
Recap your knowledge of how enzymes work from Topic 7. denatured.
Enzymes are highly specific, meaning that each type of
enzyme only causes a reaction by one type molecule.
This comes about due to the specific shape of the active site: only one molecule (according to its
shape) will fit into the active site. See diagram for an illustration.
Enzymes have an optimum temperature and pH. If the temperature is too high (for most
enzymes, above about 45oC), or the pH is too acidic OR too alkaline, the enzyme denatures. This
means the active site changes shape. As a result, the substrate no longer fits into the active site,
to the enzyme doesn’t work any more (see diagram).
This leads to results with enzyme controlled reactions as shown in the graphs. The rate of the
reaction catalysed by the enzyme is on the y-axis. The peak represents the optimum
temperature/pH. Notice that different enzymes have different optimums – as shown on the pH
graph with the two lines.
